The Jamaican government has signed a deal with Saudi Arabia to see the two countries cooperate on various economic and development projects. The agreement was signed by Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir during a meeting in Riyadh.
The deal will see Saudi Arabia provide Jamaica with $1 billion in investment funding and technical assistance and advice on economic reform. Jamaica, in turn, will provide Saudi Arabia with access to its ports and airports. The agreement is seen as a boost for both countries’ economies and is expected to create jobs and increase trade between them.
Jamaican-Saudi relations history
The two countries have a long history of relations dating back to the early days of Jamaican independence. In 1961, Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to recognize Jamaica’s independence. Since then, the two countries have maintained strong diplomatic and economic ties.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has been a major source of investment for Jamaica, particularly in the tourism sector. The Jamaican government has also been seeking to increase trade with Saudi Arabia, and in 2016 the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Economic and Technical Cooperation.
Jamaica and Saudi Arabia have also been working together to combat terrorism and extremism. In 2003, they signed a joint counterterrorism agreement and have since participated in several joint counterterrorism exercises.
Jamaican-Saudi agree on new tourism relations
The Jamaican and Saudi Arabian governments have agreed to a new set of tourism relations that will see the two countries working together to promote travel and investment. The new agreement was signed by Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Saudi Arabia’s deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman during a recent visit to the island nation.
The agreement includes several measures that will see the two countries working together on promotion, marketing, and investment in the tourism sector. It also includes an exchange program that will allow Jamaican tourism students to study in Saudi Arabia and gain first-hand experience of the country’s booming tourism industry.
The new agreement is a significant boost for Jamaica’s tourism sector, which is struggling to recover from a series of natural disasters that hit the island in 2017. The agreement with Saudi Arabia is expected to lead to increased visitor numbers from the Middle East, which is one of the fastest-growing markets for Jamaican travel.
